Belotero Injectables
Belotero is an FDA approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that can reverse and correct many of the common signs of aging. It works by filling wrinkles, adding volume, and correcting textural abnormalities in the soft tissue of the face.
Please continue reading to learn everything about Belotero fillers and how they can give you a more youthful appearance. Also find out how Belotero compares to other dermal fillers.
What is Belotero?
Belotero is an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal filler. Hyaluronic acid is a hydrophilic substance (water attracting substance) that is found naturally in the skin in abundant quantities. It plumps up and hydrates the skin and gives it a smooth, soft appearance. Over time and with age, the amount of HA in the skin decreases, leading to the formation of smile lines, lines on the side of the nose, reduced skin elasticity, and volume loss in the face. A dermal filler such as Belotero can can replace the lost hyaluronic acid and instantly restore a more youthful appearance to the face.
Belotero initially received US FDA approval for the treatment of moderate to severe nasolabial folds or laugh lines. Now, the range includes additional products that can treat other types of facial lines and wrinkles. For example, Belotero Soft is designed to treat finer lines; Belotero Volume is ideal for restoring volume in the nose, cheeks, and lips; Belotero Balance is designed to fill the creases on the side of the nose.
How do hyaluronic acid fillers work?
Like other treatments that use HA injectables, Belotero is a soft, gel-like material in which the active ingredient is hyaluronic acid. The HA binds to water and and subtly fills lines and replaces lost volume, giving natural results. As mentioned, some Belotero products are designed to fill lines and wrinkles while others add volume and are used to enhance or enlarge the chin, lips, or cheeks. Your aesthetic medical professional can help you decide what type of Belotero dermal filler is right for you.
What areas does Belotero target?
Belotero injections are US FDA approved to fill in moderate or severe nasolabial folds. However, these hyaluronic acid fillers contain a cohesive polydensified matrix and can also be used in other parts of the face, such as the chin, lips, cheeks, forehead, and around the eyes.
Doctors choose Belotero for filling lines around the mouth, nose, and eyes; for filling frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead; for correcting under-eye bags; for plumping the lips by adding more volume; for correcting small bumps on the nose; for contouring the cheeks, chin, or jawline; and for treating some types of acne scars.
How do I prepare for Belotero injections?
There is no special preparation required before a Belotero injection. You should tell your doctor about your medical history and give them a list of your medications, including prescription drugs and over the counter medications.
Your doctor may recommend temporarily stopping certain medications, such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), for example, ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin, for a few days before the treatment since they can increase the risk of bleeding. Certain nutritional supplements like fish oil, vitamin E, garlic, gingko, and ginseng may also need to be stopped for a few days.
What should I do before my Belotero injection?
As mentioned, it may be necessary to stop certain medications before Belotero injection treatments to minimize the risk of bruising. However, you should not stop blood thinners without talking to a physician first. Stopping these medications can put you at risk if you if have had a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung), or if you have an artificial heart valve or irregular heartbeat.
How is Belotero administered? Do the injections hurt?
Most Belotero products contain a small amount of local anesthetic, lidocaine. Your doctor may also use a numbing cream in the treatment area to minimize any discomfort from the injections. The injections are performed with very fine needles and are virtually painless.
What can I expect during Belotero treatment?
The treatment process is quick and relatively painless. Your aesthetic medical professional will start by cleaning your skin and marking the injection sites in the target area. They will then inject Belotero using a fine gauge needle. Next, your doctor will gently massage the treated area to help the filler settle and give more natural results.
The entire process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of areas you are having treated. The recovery time is minimal.
What should you not do after Belotero?
Your doctor will advise you about some simple precautions after Belotero injections. Following these instructions will help you obtain the desired effect without complications. To get the best Belotero results, you should avoid strenuous activity, excessive heat exposure, excessive sun exposure, alcoholic beverages, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 24-48 hours after your treatment.
What can I expect after the procedure?
Most patients can resume all normal activities, including returning to work, right away after the treatment.
You will notice Belotero results immediately after the treatment. However, there can be some minor swelling, redness, and discomfort at the injection sites for 24 hours. Applying a cold pack will help speed up recovery.
How long does it take Belotero to work?
As mentioned, you can see Belotero results almost instantly after the treatment.
How long do Belotero fillers last?
How long Belotero lasts can vary depending on your skin type, how quickly your body metabolizes (breaks down) the dermal filler, how much product is injected, what type of Belotero product is used, and the area of the face where you get the injections. On average, Belotero lasts for 6-18 months. Here are some indicative timelines for results in the average patient:
- Belotero Basic and Belotero Balance for lip enhancement or filling mild to moderate lines: 6 months.
- Belotero Soft for fine lines or lip enhancement: 12 months.
- Belotero Intense for deep lines or lip enhancement: 12 months.
- Belotero Volume for adding volume to the temples or cheeks: 18 months.
Are there any risks or side effects?
Belotero is generally safe when the treatment is performed by a qualified professional. However, like all injection treatments, it does carry some risks. The most common side effects of Belotero are injection site reactions that usually go away in 1-7 days. These can include tenderness, redness, bruising, swelling of the side of the nose (when injected into the nasolabial folds).
Less commonly, there can be lumps, bumps, discoloration, hardening of the skin, dry lips, and numbness.
More serious complications of a Belotero injection can include blindness, stroke, and permanent scarring.
Is Belotero treatment safe?
Clinical studies, efficacy trials, and more than a decade of clinical experience have shown that Belotero is safe for the majority of people. Some key Belotero Balance safety features include the following: You should tell your doctor if have a history of severe allergies or multiple allergies, specifically to Gram-positive proteins, in which case these treatments (Belotero Balance or other products in the line) may not be recommended for you. Dermal fillers are also not advised for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
It is worth noting that more often than not serious side effects occur as a result of poor injection technique by an untrained provider. You can greatly reduce your risk of complications by choosing a qualified Belotero provider who has extensive experience in injecting dermal fillers into the facial tissues.
What is the difference between Belotero and other wrinkle fillers?
Other hyaluronic acid fillers available at the current time include Juvederm, Restylane, and Teosyal, to name a few. A key benefit of Belotero is that it includes a unique mixture that gives smooth results. It is injected close to the skin's surface, so there is a lower risk of nodule formation. This is in contrast to other HA fillers that can sometimes give a lumpy or puffy appearance. Also, the bluish tinge seen with some fillers due to the Tyndall effect is not present with Belotero.
Is Belotero Right for Me?
The best person to decide whether Belotero is right for you is your aesthetic medical professional. While this dermal filler is highly effective and safe, it is not right for every skin concern. For example, it cannot effectively fill deep lines and wrinkles, and other fillers on the market are probably a better choice for this particular problem.
Ten Things To Know About Belotero
Here are some key things to know about Belotero:
- Belotero is a cosmetic dermal filler that can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in aging facial skin.
- It contains hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance found in human skin.
- There are various products in the Belotero range with different consistencies that are designed to treat different problems like fine lines, volume loss, etc.
- Belotero can be used in various parts of the face such as the forehead, around the eyes, cheeks, nose, lips, and chin.
- The injection treatment takes 15-60 minutes to complete.
- Belotero was U.S. FDA approved more than a decade ago and has a proven safety record.
- Common side effects after the treatment include mild swelling and redness at the injection site.
- The recovery period after Belotero is minimal, usually 24-48 hours. You can resume all normal activities right away.
- You should always get your treatments done by a qualified plastic surgeon, dermatologist, or aesthetic medical professional to reduce the risk of complications.
- There is no need to undergo allergy testing before Belotero, but this treatment is not recommended if you have a history of multiple allergies or severe allergies.
How much does Belotero cost?
On average, the cost of Belotero filler treatment is $650 per session. The exact cost will depend on the specific product used, the amount of product used, the total number of treatment sessions, your geographical location, and the skill level of your injector. Belotero is an elective cosmetic procedure and is not covered by health insurance.
How do I find a Belotero provider?
The MeTime app makes it easy to find aesthetic medical professionals who offer Belotero injections and other dermal fillers. You can chat with experts, share photos, do video calls, get quotes, and more. Download the MeTime app today and see what Belotero can do for you.